I do see a problem with dumb people following rich people, which is why I’m a socialist. I don’t see Hasan as a leader, I see him as a comrade. Socialism is not a poverty cult, the rich can be class traitors too and it matters where their money came from and if they’re honest about it. Hasan also puts his money where his mouth is, donating to campaigns, mobilizing his audience to campaign, funding and fundraising for causes like the PCRF, and delivering aid to and platforming Cubans suffering under US sanctions. Anyone who consistently delivers materially to the working class deserves the benefit of the doubt.

A first-person perspective will give you the best view.

On the matter of nepotism, his uncle is Cenk Uygur who is the co-creator of The Young Turks (a progressive news show). Hasan acknowledges that he benefited from nepotism to launch his career as a political commentator since he got his start working for The Young Turks with his uncle. It’s not like he hides it or presents himself as “self-made” or any other bullshit like that, so I don’t really have a problem with it either.

This quote is from a satirical comedy bit where he is playing a character imitating a specific archetype of a conservative at the time. The video even includes a disclaimer that it is satire, so if you saw a clip of him saying that and just believed it then it shows that you don’t even do the bare minimum of checking context.